


Legend

by spowell Once and Future Series (SPowell)



Series: Once and Future [8]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: M/M, post ep. 5x13
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-26
Updated: 2014-05-26
Packaged: 2018-01-26 14:47:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1692173
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SPowell/pseuds/spowell%20Once%20and%20Future%20Series
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur finds the internet difficult.</p><p>Disclaimer: Merlin belongs to BBC and Shine.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Legend

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Camelot Land's challenge The Big One, prompt: The Northern Plains, for the win! Er, to complete the table.
> 
> This work is part of an on-going series.

True to his word, Arthur works at the shop on the busiest days of the week. On the other days, he peruses the internet for jobs—Merlin having reluctantly shown him his way around the World Wide Net.

“Just be careful, Arthur,” Merlin warns. “There are a lot of nuts out there.”

By _nuts_ , Arthur assumes Merlin means crazy people, and that’s soon verified when he inquires after a few positions on something called _Craig’s List._ (Arthur believes in going straight to the man in charge, and therefore tries to speak with Craig himself, but has no luck.)

He emails (not without some trouble, despite Merlin’s recent tutelage) an ad specifying the need for a man with muscles. Although king, Arthur is no stranger to hard work and not unwilling to physically pull himself to the top. He’s in the kitchen making tea when he hears the _ping_ of a reply.

Taking a seat again on the sofa and peering at the screen, Arthur opens the email.

It asks for a picture.

Arthur frowns. Why would they need a picture of him?

He types out a rather long-winded inquiry on that count, and what he receives in reply drops Arthur’s mouth to his chest.

“Merlin,” he says when Merlin arrives home late that afternoon.

“What’s wrong?” Merlin asks. “You look a bit…shell shocked.”

Arthur looks up at him. “What?”

Merlin shakes his head. “War term; you’re eyes are glazed over and…never mind. What’s happened?” He goes to sit beside Arthur on the couch.

“I made a very normal inquiry into a job…I’m certain I did everything correctly.” He frowns.

“Okay,” Merlin prompts gently. “And?”

“And, even though the job was supposed to be for physical labor of some sort, they asked for a picture.”

Merlin leans back. “Oh. You didn’t send one, did you?”

“No! I sent back a lengthy reply and got this!” Arthur hits a key on the lap top and a very large photo of a penis fills the screen.

“Oh, ugh.” Merlin leans in and closes it.

“Why would they send that?” Arthur asks. He’s been thinking about it all afternoon and can’t work it out. “If they wanted…something else, why did they try to engage me in conversation about a job?”

“Where were you looking?” Merlin begins going through the tabs on the screen. “Ah…Craig’s List probably isn’t the best place to find a job. They aren’t supposed to be soliciting for sex on there, but they do it anyway. Sorry, Arthur, but you just got one of those crazies I was talking about.”

Merlin gets up and heads for the kitchen. “I’ll fix us some dinner, yeah?”

Arthur nods a bit numbly. He’d really hoped things would be a bit more straight-forward on the internet.

***

On Tuesday Merlin calls Arthur in to work because of an influx of tourists who have just come from the museums and want books on various subjects. When he arrives, Arthur finds Merlin neck-deep in customers and immediately gets to work helping them locate books and adding up their purchases at the till. The first lull in activity doesn’t come until over an hour later, and Arthur heads straight for the loo, all the morning’s coffee having swollen his bladder to near bursting. He returns to find Brandon Davies talking quietly with Merlin by the stack of new arrivals.

Arthur strides up to Merlin and places a proprietary hand on his waist, hoping Merlin remembers what Arthur said when fucking him into the floor. _Mine._ By the reddening of Merlin’s ears, Arthur thinks he does.

“Hello, Arthur,” Davies blinks at him. “I didn’t think you worked here anymore.”

“What gave you that idea?” Arthur asks.

Davies opens his mouth and hesitates. “I…well, I believe Merlin mentioned it.”

Arthur frowns at Merlin, who frowns at Davies, and Davies quickly changes the subject. “I was just telling Merlin here that I had the most marvelous epiphany after I spoke to the two of you at the café.”

Arthur nudges Merlin a little closer to his side.

“Really?” he drawls.

“Yes! I’d noticed, of course, the first time I spoke to Merlin…his name. But I’d become so used to it over the course of our friendship that I’d quite forgotten…and then your name…what are the odds?”

Arthur frowns, wondering what the man is dithering about now.

Merlin chuckles, wrapping his arm around Arthur’s waist and giving him a squeeze. “Yes, Arthur and I were always the brunt of jokes when together because of our Arthurian names.”

Arthur gets it now…the legend.

Davies keeps on. “I mean, here I am, working on my book, and I meet a _Merlin_ , of all people, and now an Arthur Pendragon! And to think the two know one another! Now, I call that amazing!”

“Perhaps it’s _destiny_ ,” Arthur replies, and pulls Merlin in for a kiss. “Arthur and his sorcerer.” He looks into Merlin’s eyes, years melting away in mere seconds.

To Arthur’s immense satisfaction, Merlin looks a bit dreamy, but if Davies notices, he ignores it to keep on running his mouth.

“But, of course, the Merlin of legend was evil…not exactly Arthur’s lover.” Davies laughs a stupid laugh that sets Arthur’s teeth on edge, along with the imbecilic statement. The very idea of Merlin being _evil_ is so ludicrous, it sends Arthur’s already climbing blood pressure through the roof. His fingers tighten on Merlin’s waist.

“Evil!” He spits, “That’s preposterous!”

The smile falls off Davies' face. “Er…haven’t you read the legends?”

“No, I haven’t _read_ them,” Arthur replies hotly. “Because I’m sure they’re a bunch of rubbish, as you’ve just proved by that idiotic statement about Merlin being evil! Don’t you know that Merlin all but saved Camelot? Don’t you know that…Ouch! That hurt, Merlin!”

“Brandon, let me help you find that reference to the Northern Plains, yeah?” Merlin leads Davies behind the shelves, leaving Arthur fuming and rubbing his side where Merlin pinched him.


End file.
